a natural family of snakes including the cobras, kraits, mambas, the New World coral snakes, and Australian taipan and tiger snakes.

The Elapidae, or elapids, are a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. They are characterized by possessing a set of hollow, fixed fangs through which they inject venom, and come in a wide range of sizes, from only 18 cm (Drysdalia) up to 6 m in length (Ophiophagus). Currently, 61 genera that include 231 species are recognized.